Since 18th September 2024, the 10th Anniversary of the HWPL World Peace Summit has been marked with celebrations in South Korea and across 122 countries worldwide. The event, themed ‘Creating World Peace Community Through Regional Collaboration’, commemorates a decade of commitment by global leaders and citizens to peace, while also setting out plans for future strategies to promote harmony on a global scale.
According to HWPL, the goal of the anniversary is to assess progress made since 2014 and to chart the course for future initiatives. Multiple sessions are being held in different countries to bring together regional talent and foster networks, which are key to designing peace strategies that address local threats and leverage collective strengths.
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is an international NGO affiliated with the UN’s ECOSOC. Through its 10 years of international collaboration for peace, HWPL has established a membership of 500,000 people in 170 countries, and has signed MOAs or MOUs with 1,014 organisations across 105 nations to carry out peace initiatives.
Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL drew attention to the enormous loss of life caused by religious divisions, urging religious leaders to take a more active role in dialogue and mutual understanding. “We must work together to create a world of peace and leave it as a legacy for future generations. This is to fulfil our mission as a light that brings life to the global village. Only through love and peace can the world become one,” he stated.
As part of the event’s emphasis on regional collaboration, HWPL has partnered with the intergovernmental organisation Group of 7+ (G7+) and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) to advance peacebuilding efforts. G7+, which comprises 20 member states, was created to unite countries affected by conflict with the shared goal of peace, stability, and development. Parlatino, which includes 23 member nations, works to promote development and integration under a framework of democratic governance.
One of the peace projects showcased was from Timor-Leste, where the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture, Dr. Jose Honorioda Costa Pereira Jeronimo, presented the country’s partnership with HWPL. The Ministry, along with eight higher education institutions, introduced peace education into Timor-Leste’s curriculum. “I believe that peace education will play a crucial role, not just as a simple subject, but in helping students grow into future global citizens and in laying the foundation for peace and stability across society,” he stated.
H.E., Prof. Dr. Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania and President of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, recalled the 2014 HWPL summit, which promoted global collaboration for peace. He said: “An incredible and impressive image proves that the faith in global peace is very much more than a mere initiative. It was then that I first truly felt that we are all one and be irrespective of our perceived differences. We are all united in one breath in the service of the greater calling of global peace.”
This summit has involved numerous social representatives in peace projects across different countries. In South Korea, the ‘Together: Connecting Korea’ campaign has been launched as a national initiative for social harmony. Backed by 230 civil society organisations, the campaign seeks to bridge generational and cultural divides, as well as engage in environmental protection efforts.
